My husband divorces women once they have a baby, says fifth wife (Punch)
A woman has told the court that her husband is known for seeking divorce from his wives immediately they deliver a baby. Thirty-one-year-old mother of one, Juliana Olu-Obafemi, alleged that she is the fifth wife and that each of her four predecessors was divorced after they had a baby by their husband, 53-year-old Sunday Olu-Obafemi. Mr. Olu-Obafemi, however, said he sought divorce when he could no longer meet the demands of his wife’s family for money, saying the more he gave, the more they demanded. Juliana is one of the five women he had been married to at separate times. Read more
Buhari’s Mega Rally: Lagos restricts movement in 18 major routes (Nation)
Ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign visit to Lagos on Saturday, the State government in conjunction with the Transport sub-Committee of the All Progressive Congress Presidential Campaign on Wednesday said vehicular movement would be restricted around Surulere axis. It advised market women, residents and transporters to stay away from the axis on Saturday. Chairman, Sub-Committee on Transportation for the campaign, former Minister of State for Defense, Mr Demola Seriki stated this at a Travel Advisory press briefing he addressed at the Secretariat, Alausa on Wednesday. Read more
PDP threatens to pull out of peace accord (Guardian)
Nigeria’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Wednesday threatened to pull out of in the national peace accord a few days to the presidential election. “Any situation that seeks to allow the APC to abuse the tenets of the accord will definitely force our party to review our signatory to the peace process,” PDP spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, said in a statement. The 2019 peace accord, convened by a former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, was to commit the candidates and the political parties to a peaceful poll. Read more
Nigeria’s well-wishers don’t support APC, says Peter Obi (Guardian)
Vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi, has said well-wishing Nigerians would not support the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), considering the state of the country. PDP’s 16 years of democratic rule in Nigeria was halted by President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory over former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015. Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, said the Buhari-APC led administration had done more harm to the country and should not be voted to retain power in the February 16 presidential election. Read more
Air Force acquires 22 Aircraft to fight Boko Haram, others (Nation)
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar Wednesday said a total of 22 aircraft were recently added into the inventory of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to support various on-going military operations across the country, particularly the fight against Boko Haram Terrorists. According to Abubakar, as at July 2015, the aircraft serviceability status of the Nigerian Air Force was below 60 percent, but as at date, the aircraft serviceability status has improved beyond 80 percent. Abubakar made the remarks while declaring open the NAF Finance Training Workshop with the theme “Strengthening the NAF Finance Specialty for Efficient Service Delivery in Support of NAF Operations”, at the NAF Headquarters, Abuja. Read more
Alleged certificate forgery: Absence of Wike’s counsel stalls proceedings (Punch)
The trial of Rivers State Governor, Mr Nyesom Wike, was stalled at the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday due to the absence of his counsel, Mr Ferdinand Orbih, in court. When the matter was called, Mr Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), who announced appearance holding the brief of Orbih, asked for a short adjournment to enable Orbih to handle the matter himself. Ukala told the court that Orbih was absent in court because he was before the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, in a matter that was adjourned from Tuesday until Wednesday. Mr Wale Ajayi, counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission, did not oppose the request for adjournment. Read more
Anambra drivers protest over unfair treatment (Nation)
Over 100 aggrieved vehicle owners in the fleet of Transport Company of Anambra State (TRACAS) on Wednesday protested alleged unfair treatment by management of the company. The protesters accused some top management of the company of displacing them from loading with a fleet of vehicles they introduced. Leader of the protesters, Kingsley Uche, alleged that they were compelled to pay N29, 000 for installation of speed limiting devices which, he said, was not installed in any vehicle since two years. Read more
Zimbabwe opposition leader snubs Mnangagwa dialogue call (Guardian)
Zimbabwean opposition leader Nelson Chamisa snubbed an invitation by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to join a national summit on Wednesday, just weeks after security forces crushed protests over the worsening economy. “He is not attending,” Chamisa’s spokesman Nkululeko Sibanda told AFP ahead of the meeting of political leaders, scheduled to take place at the presidential offices. Chamisa, who insists he won last July’s presidential elections, said he was in favour of dialogue but would only attend talks if they were called by a neutral party. Read more
Istanbul apartment block collapse shocks Turkey (BBC)
An eight-storey apartment block has collapsed in the Turkish city of Istanbul, killing one person, while other people were injured or are trapped beneath rubble. Video from a residential area in the city’s Kartal district shows rescuers at work around a mound of debris. Reports suggest at least four people may be missing, and a number of cars were also buried in rubble. The cause of the disaster on Wednesday afternoon was not immediately known. Read more
Ethiopian groom and best man killed by ‘grenade accident’ (BBC)
A groom and his best man have been killed in Ethiopia in an apparent accident involving a grenade belonging to the groom, local officials say. The grenade exploded after a traditional 10-day honeymoon celebration, during which the best man is expected to entertain the newlyweds. The bride was not present when the grenade went off. The incident took place in a remote village in the South Wollo Zone in Amhara region, north of Addis Ababa. Read more
Junior Lokosa thumps up Eunisell over career boost (Nation)
Nigerian International, Junior Lokosa, has applauded Eunisell for their commitment to the Nigerian Professional Football League and for being behind dramatic change in his fortune. Eunisell launched the prestigious Eunisell Boot in 2018 awarded to the NPFL’s highest goal scorer in a season. Lokosa, the inaugural winner for his impressive 19 goals scored in 2017/2018, was presented with the trophy and a cheque for N3.8 million which translates to N200, 000 a goal. The media hype around Lokosa’s award caught the attention of African Champions, Tunisia’s Esperance Sportive, who recently signed the Kano Pillars star. Read more
Emiliano Sala: Nantes demand transfer fee from Cardiff City (BBC)
French club Nantes have demanded payment from Cardiff City over the £15m transfer of Emiliano Sala, BBC Wales has learned. Sala, along with pilot David Ibbotson, was on board the Piper Malibu N264DB which lost radar contact near Guernsey on 21 January. The Argentine striker was Premier League club Cardiff’s record signing. Cardiff have withheld the first scheduled payment until they are satisfied with the documentation. It is understood Nantes are threatening legal action if they do not receive a payment within 10 days. BBC have attempted to speak to Nantes for a comment. Read more
Infantino sole candidate for FIFA presidency in June vote (Guardian)
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is set to serve a second term after world football’s governing body said on Wednesday he would be the only candidate for June’s vote. The 48-year-old has been in charge of FIFA since February 2016, after succeeding the disgraced Sepp Blatter following the corruption scandal which rocked the organisation. The election will take place on June 5 in Paris ahead of the women’s World Cup. Former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega had announced his intention to stand against Infantino, but failed to garner the required support of five of FIFA’s 211 member federations. Read more
West Ham probe Salah’s abuse (Punch)
West Ham have launched an investigation after social media footage emerged of abuse directed at Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah during a Premier League match at the London Stadium. The Egypt international was filmed on a mobile phone from a section of home supporters as he was taking a corner during Monday’s game. The video clip contains audible expletives directed at the Liverpool player, including comments against his Muslim religion. The user who posted the video on Twitter said: “I was disgusted by what I was hearing. People like this deserve no place in our society let alone football matches. #kickracismout.” Read more
Dortmund hope Reus regains fitness as Spurs loom (Vanguard)
Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund face a nervous wait to see if top scorer Marco Reus will be fit for next week’s Champions League clash at Tottenham Hotspur after the forward suffered a thigh injury. Reus went off after drilling in a superb free-kick, his 17th goal in all competitions this season, in Tuesday’s shock German Cup home defeat by Werder Bremen. The injury-prone 29-year-old has scored in each of Dortmund’s last four games in all competitions, but rates himself doubtful for Saturday’s Bundesliga match against Hoffenheim. Read more
Court remands man for allegedly killing girlfriend (Punch)
An Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ibadan on Wednesday ordered the remand of one Olaosebikan Sangodiji at the Agodi Prisons for alleged murder. The defendant, 44, who resides at Sangodiji, Asapopo area in Ilora, Oyo State, is being tried on a charge of causing the death of his girlfriend. A lawyer, Mr. Adewale Mosadomi, announced his appearance for the defendant but the court did not allow the plea of Sangodiji to be taken. The Chief Magistrate, Mr. E. Idowu, ruled that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter and ordered the remand of Sangodiji at Agodi Prisons, pending an advice from the state’s directorate of public prosecutions. Read more